Ver. 26.-C!hrist's missioo to the Jews. St. Peter bad been epeo.klng of our Lord's resurrection, and it is natural to connect the expression of the text, "having rai8ed up his Son Jeaus," ,~ith that resurrection. The idea, however, seems to be more general- God having provided, prepared, given, set forth. Matthew Henry gives the complete thought: " God, having raised up his Son Jesus, appointed and authorized him to be a Prince and a Saviour; and, in confirmation of this, raised him from the dead, sent him to bless you, in making tender of his blessing to you. God raised up Jesus when be constituted him a Prophet. Some refer the raising of him up to his resurrection, which was the renewal of his commission." This is St. Peter's direct appeal to the Jews, and declaration of the particular mission of Christ to the Jews. To tltem the gospel was first to be preached. Their former Divine revelation was a gracious pre- paration of them for the reception of the new revelation. But the new ble~sing would not come to them merely as a nation ; it would come to each individual, and to the whole only through the individual, and depend upon the openness and acceptance of faith. Apostles were to" begin at Jerusalem." The points made prominent by this simple appeal are, (1) God is the Savioor _; (2) he saves by hu Son Jesus; (3) the essence of tltat Ml.vatio1, is the turning of men away fr= their iniquities, I. GoD IS THE SAVIOUR. 'fhc apostles always kept to the idea that Christ is the Medium of the salvation, and God the soorce. ~ometimes the exigencies of theological systems have led to the practical neglect of this important distinction. God saves men. God's love is the fountain of redemption. God's wisdom fashions the redemptive plan. God's San executes the r!'demptive purpose. God is in all, and God must be glorified in all No apostle puts this more plainly than St. Peter. Compare his very forcible language in 1 Pet. i. 21, "Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God." II. GoD BAVES BY BIS SoN JEsus CHRIST. Whom he sent to the earth, and whom he raised from the dea.d. This is Gori', way of salvation. It is the only way. By both considerations we are urged to accept it. Ill. THE ESSENCE OF TRAT SALVATION IB THE "TURNING OF MEN AWAY FROM THEm INIQUITms." The special iniquity dealt with here is the rejection and crucifixion of the Lord Jesus ; but that is ever regarded as displaying and proving, in a very impressive manner, the fallen and ruined condition of men. It was such a display of malice, pre- judice, and hard-hearted wilfulness, as revealed the uteer badness and corruption of humanity. Show that the root-cause of evil in man is self-love, self-seeking, and self-will. In these things lie our iniquity. From them we can only be turned by the love of another, the seeking of the good of another, and the enthronement of the will of another. Therefore Jesus Christ is set forth, we arc bidden to look at him, know him, ~et our love on him, and enthrone him. He can work a mighty saving work in every heart and every life that is turned towards him and opened to him. And penitence and / aith can open our heart-doors. The way and the means to secure "Divine forgiveness,"" blotting out of sins," and "times of refreshing," arc that "repeutance" and "turning again" to which the apostle has been exhorting the people. 'l'his is urged first upon the Jews, but it ill the condition of salvation for Jew and Gentile alike,-R. T.
EXPOSITION. the llCCne fs laid In the court of _tbu temple, CHAPTER IV. this is very improbable. Josephus (' Ant. Ver. t-The captain of the temple. Only J ud.,' xx. vi. 2) speaks of an officer up• here e.nd eh. v. ~4, and Luke xiii. -t, 52 parcntly of the temple, who was cnlled in the plural. Some have thought thn.t the 6 uTpa,r.,,.,&s, and was certainly e. Jew by commander of the Romau garrison of the his name Anauus, and being, e.s Joscphu1 e&Btle of Antonia ia here meant. But 11 relates further (' Bell. J ud.,' ii. xii. 6), th• OH. IV, 1-37.] THE AOTS OF TIIE APOSTLES. 123